guangzhou baiyun airport

The Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the main airport in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong. It is the main hub of China Southern Airlines, and a focus city for Hainan Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines. The airport is located on the border between northern Renhe in Baiyun district and the eastern Xinhua town in the Huadu district.

The Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou was hailed as the 2nd busiest airport in China in 2011 and the 19th busiest in the world. Both rankings were based on passenger traffic. As for cargo traffic, the Baiyun International Airport also ranked as the 3rd busiest in China and the 21st busiest in the world.

Fast Facts

Airport code: CAN (Derived from the original name of the province, Canton)Website: www.gbiac.net/en/index.htmlAddress: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510470, ChinaTelephone number: +86-20-36066999

The current airport was opened in 2004, when it replaced the old airport that ran for 72 years before being closed. The new airport is 5 times larger than the old one. Both airports were named ‘Baiyun’, which means ‘white cloud’ in Chinese as a reference to the Baiyun Mountain near the location of the old airport.

The new airport, however, is usually referred to as the new Baiyun for distinction. The new airport was a major improvement over the old as it finally allowed the Guangzhou airport to overcome space restrictions and curfews. The airport now operates for 24 hours, thus facilitating more intercontinental routes.

The current Baiyun International Airport is farther from the city center than the old airport. It is estimated to be around 28 kilometers or 17.4 miles away from downtown Guangzhou.

The Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport currently serves more than 110 air routes to more than 100 domestic and international destinations. Domestic flights include flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Kunming, Chongqing, Haikou, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Guiyang, Ningbo, and Lianyungang, among others.

International flights, on the other hand, fly to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Osaka, Seoul, Tokyo, Jakarta, Taipei, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh, Sydney, and even to European countries including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Paris, among many others.

Transportation to/from the Guangzhou Center

There are many options for travelers who need to reach the Guangzhou airport from various points in Guangzhou.

Taxi

The fastest way is to take a taxi; a taxi stop is located outside the arrival hall. If you need to go downtown from the airport or vice versa, the usual fee will be RMB 150. The rate of taxis in Guangzhou is RMB 7 for the flag-fall and RMB 2.60 for each kilometer.

Airport Express Bus Lines

The Airport Express Transportation Company of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport operates an Airport Express bus line that provides timely, comfortable, and more economical means of transportation going to and from the airport. Currently, there are four local bus lines:

Subway

The Guangzhou subway recently opened the New Airport Line, which is serviced by the Guangzhou No. 3 subway. The New Airport Line follows this route: Guangzhou East Railway Station – Yantang – Meihua Garden – Nanfa Hospital – Tonghe – Yongtai – Jiahe – Longgui – Renhe – New Airport.

In total, there are 10 stations or stops in which passengers may board or depart the subway. The subway leads directly to the 1st floor of the terminal building, and passengers only have to take a lift to go to the departure and arrival halls.

The subway trains announce the stations as the train approaches in various languages including Chinese mandarin, Cantonese, and English. The trains arrive at the stations every 3 minutes during the peak hours, whereas the interval between each train lengthens to every 7 minutes after 21:00.